Process of producing hydrogen.



A. R. FRANK.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING HYDROGEN. APPLICATION IILED MAR.14, 1913.

1,107,926, Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

natural or rock UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT :armonrn FRANK, or HAnENsnn, NEAR BERLIN, GERMANY.

193601185 01 PRODUCING HYDROGEN.

7 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

Application filed March 14, 1913. Serial No. 754,190.

clear, and exact description.

y invention relates to improvements in processes of producing hydrogen from natural or rock gas and other gases containing a high percentage of methane.

In the United'States at numerous places consists of methane while as minor constituent parts hydrogen and hydrocarbons of the methane and ethylene series, carbonic oxid, sulfid of hydrogen, and nitrogen are contained therein. In some cases these gases contain up to 99. percent. of methane.

My invention is based on the fact, that at very high temperatures exceeding the decomposing temperature considerably, the methane can completely be split into carbon and hydrogen, in which case from one volume of methane two volumes of hydrogen are obtained in addition to the carbon.

produce from natural gases or other gases which are rich in methane, hydrogen for chemical and technical purposes, which may be used for example for filling air ships and the like.

. In carrying out my improved process I start from rock gas or other gas whichis rich in methane and free the same of hydrogen sulfid in any known manner, for example by passing'the gas through a purifier which contains an iron oxid, such-for example as limonite. Thereupon the gas is subected to a temperature of at least 1200 degrees centigrade. The decomposition of the gas begins at a temperature of about 800 degrees centigrade, while the gas'is completely split into carbon and hydrogen when the highest temperatureexceeding 1200 degrees" centigrade is attained. At this temperature thehigher hydrocarbons also are decomposed into carbon and hydrogen. By the decomposition carbon is split off, so that the. in the gas 1s re-j carbonic acid contained a full,

. fication. Small amounts of hydric sulfid, for

gas is found which largelyduced to carbonic oxid." Therefore the finlshed gas contains in addition to the hydrogen only slight amounts of carbonic oxid and nitrogen, which however are not objectionable when using the gas for technical purposes. For special purposes, the produced hydrogen can be sub ected to a further puriinstance, may be removed at high temperatures by lime, protoxid of iron, etc., and carbonic 'oxid or carbonic acid by soda-lime. Preferably gas is carried out within a blast furnace or generator which is filled with incandescent coke, and which is from time to time rethe decomposition of the rock heated by passing therethrough a blast of I air, in order to attain the high temperature Which is necessary for decomposing the as. This reheating takes place periodically a ter large quantities of gas have been passed through the coke. 1 If desired, the generator within which the gas is decomposed may be filled with refractory material, such as a checker work made from refractory material (fire-brick) or pieces of refractory stone.

quired high temperature by passing therethrough rock gas together with the necessary amount of air for supporting combustion. The mixture of rock gas and air is burnt Within the cnerator, and the combustion gases are dlscharged into the atmosphere. After the refractory filling has thus been heated the rock gas to be decomposed rogen which is produced by the decomposition of the gas is ledofi' and stored in suitable receptacles. By the decomposltlon ofthe rock gas or the like carbon is deosited on the refractory filling, which carbon is in a form similar to soot or graphite. This carbon is burnt during the following blowing period when the mixture of gas and air is being burnt for reheating the refractor filling ofthe generator, so that the said car on is" utilized or heating the furnace.

, In order that my invention be .moreclea'rly In this case the refractory filling is first heated to the reis assed through the generator, and the hyd understood, an apparatus which is suitable for putting the improved process into effect has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which shows in a diagrammatical way a vertical section of the apparatus.

In the exampleshown in the drawing-the apparatus consists of two blast furnaces or generators A and B which are connected with each other at their bottoms by means of a pipe 1. The generators are constructed of refractor material and they are preferably inclose by an'iron jacket. At its top the generator A is equipped with a stud Qthrough which the charge can be brought into the generator, and which is adapted to be closed by a lid or cover 3. The upper end I of the chamber 1 of the generator communicates-through a passage 5 with a conduit 6, and between the passage 5 and the pipe 6 a slide valve 7 is interposed. The refractory filling 8 of the chamber 4; is supported-on a grate 9. This filling, as stated above, may consist of coke or of refractory stones (firebrick). Below the grate there is a chamber 10 which communicates through several passages 11 with a transverse conduit 12 which is provided in the bottom part of the fur nace and communicates with lateral passages 13 and 14 arranged opposite to each other.

The'passage 13 communicates with a conduit 16 which is equipped with a slide valve 15.-

valve 15 and the passage. branched oil', which is directed upward and is equipped with a slide,

Between the slide 13 a conduit 17 is valve 18. The passage 14 communicates with the pipe l'which connectsthe generaair,

tors A and B with each other.

The generator B is vided with similar conduits and passages. At its top it is provided with a stud 2= fori the said stud being,

filling the generator, adapted to be closed by a lid 3*. The chamber 1 communicates through a passage 5 with a conduit 6 closed by a valve .7. grate 9 which carries 8 a chamber 10* is provided which communicates with a transverse conduit 12 through passages 11, and the conduit 12 is connected with passages 13 and 14. The conduits 14: are connected with conduits 16 and 17 whichcan be closed by slide valves 15 and 18 respectively. The filling 8 may be of the same character as the filling 8, that is to say, it may consist of coke or refractory stones (fire-brick).

When it is Below the refractory are closed, and the lids 3 and 3 and all the other valves are opened. I Thereu on rock gas is admitted through the con uits 17 and 17, and air is admitted through the conduits 16 and 16 into the lower parts of the generators and the refractory fillings 8 and 8 thereof. B the combustion of the mixture of gas an air" constructed the: same Way as the generator A and 1t.1 s prothe generators which is adapted to be the refractory filling v desired to heat the'generators' A and B the valves 7 and 7 the fillings 8 and 8 are heated to high tem-- perature, while the gases of combustion es cape through the studs 2 and 2*. After a certain time when the desired temperature within the chambers 4 and a has been attained, the lids 3 and 3 are replaced on the studs 2 and 2 the valves 15, 18 and 15, 18 are closed, and the valves 7 and '7 are opened. Now rock gas is forced through the conduit 6 and the passage 5 and into the chamber 4 of the generator A, which rock gas at first flows 'through the incandescent filling 8, whence it passes through the grate 9, the chamber 10, the passages 11, the conduit 12, the passage 14: and the pipe 1 into the lower part of the generator B. In the latter the gas rises through the incandescent filling 8. By reason of the ture within the generators which is about 1200 degrees centigrade the. rock gas is split into carbon and hydrogen, the carbon being deposited on the refractory fillings 8 and 8, and the hydrogen escaping through'the pas sage 5 and the conduit 6 to a suitable gas reservoir. After the gasification has been carried on a certain time, it is interrupted, and the valves 7 and 7 a are closed and the lids 3 and 3 are removed from their studs 2 and 2. Now the blowing period is started again in the manner hereinbefore described. During this period the solid carbon which has been deposited on the refractory fillings 8 and 8 during the gasification period is burnt together with the mixture of gas and so that it assists in increasing the temperature of the filling. During the next gasification period I prefer to admit the rock gas through the conduit G and the passage 5 and to successively pass the same through the incandescent fillings 8 and 8 of A.and B, while the hydrogen is led off through the conduit 6.

It will readily be understood, that the apparatus hereinbefore described may be changed in various ways without departing from the gist of my invention.

While in describing the invention reference has been made to a particular method of heating the rock gas or other gas, I wish it to be understood, that my invention is not limited to this articular method, and that other methods may be used for heating the Gag a I claim as my invention: j

1. A process of producing hydrogen, which consists in subjecting a gas with a high percentage of methane to a temperature of at least 1200 degrees centigrade.

,2. A process of producing hydrogen,-

high tempera-' 3.:A process of producing hydrogen, In testimony whereof I have signed this which consists ,in ub ecting rock gas to a specification in the presence'of two subscrib- :11! 'temperature of at least 1200 degrees cening witneses.

tigrade;

v 5 4. A process (if prodilcing hydrogen, ALBERT RUDOLPH F which consistsin urifying rock gas and- Witnesses: *subjectinglthe same to a. temperature of at HENRY HABPER 1east1200degrees centigrade. WOLDEMAR HAUPT. 

